Interview | Christian Klotz, the triple Ironman conqueror

Anyone who calls Christian Klotz a tough dog is not doing the 45-year-old an injustice. The magazine writer is one of only 15 Italian athletes who have completed a triple Ironman in their life. 770 people around the world made it through this procedure to the end. For better understanding: The triple triathlon consists of 11,4 kilometers of swimming, 540 kilometers of cycling and 126 kilometers of running. But that's not the end of the road for Klotz, as he said in a SportNews interview with editor Christian Staffler.

SportNews: Mr. Klotz, how did you come up with the idea of completing a triple triathlon?

Christian Klotz: “I used to run a lot of marathons. I did quite well there, my normal time was 2.30 hours. At some point I received a starting ticket for the Ironman in Klagenfurt for my birthday. There I started talking to a German athlete who told me about double and triple triathlons. I found the idea exciting and signed up for a double Ironman.”

How did this double Ironman go?

“Normally we aim for a time of under 30 hours to reach the finish. I did it on the spot in 25 hours. So I set my sights on threefold. Also because you can still manage this distance without sleeping much.”

At the beginning of July the time had come in Bad Blumau. They even sensationally finished the competition in fourth place. How can you imagine a triathlon over three times the Ironman distance?

“It starts with swimming. It took me 3.46 hours to do this, although you have to know that you're always swimming back and forth in a 25 meter long pool. This is of course very tiring for the head. Then we went on the bike. Here one lap was 3 kilometers long. The tricky thing was that there was a huge incline in the middle of the lap. In total we had to climb 4000 meters in altitude. We athletes have already jokingly spoken of Bad Blumau's Mount Everest. At the end there were three marathons on the program. In total I was on the road for 46.52 hours, and I slept for two of those hours.”

“I can now run 80 kilometers in a row without being exhausted afterwards.” Christian Klotz about his training

How do you prepare as an athlete for such extreme hardships?

“I have been walking to work every day and back again in the evening for many years. That's around 20 kilometers. I cycle once a week in the evening, around 200 kilometers each time. I also often run 85 kilometers in a row while keeping my heart rate low. My son and my wife often accompany me here on their bikes. Still, I always think I don’t train enough.”

Have you prepared specifically for the Triple Ironman?

“Sure, you have to. I was at the training camp in Cesenatico with my triathlon club, SC Meran. I trained there for 38 hours in five days. Finally, I often cycled to Lake Garda and back with good friends from Merano. While they went home in the evening, I went for a run afterwards.”

What is your specialty?

“Because of my past as a marathon runner, it’s running. Here I can also keep up with the top athletes. I don't like swimming as much because I only learned to swim at the sea from my wife when I was in my early 30s.” Block while swimming: It wasn't until he was over 30 that his wife taught him how to swim while on vacation in Crete.

What were the biggest difficulties in the Triple Ironman in Bad Blumau?

“At 3 a.m. I had a crisis while running. I couldn't keep my eyes open anymore, they just kept closing. A competitor gave me the tip: a power nap (short regeneration sleep, editor's note) of 20 minutes. I fell asleep immediately, the 20 minutes seemed like two. Getting back up here was extremely hard, but it helped me a lot.”

A competitor giving you tips? You don't know this from other sports...

"Me neither. And it is precisely this family atmosphere that makes us ultra-athletes. When I collapsed after the competition with a circulatory collapse, an athlete from Germany, who was still in the middle of his running distance, got me something to drink and waited until I was fit again. And that even though doctors and my wife were already taking care of me.”

“I can’t tolerate all these protein and sports shakes. I’d rather eat ice cream every night.” Christian Klotz about his diet

What goals can you still have after finishing a triple triathlon?

“I would like to complete such an extreme race about every two years. But it's very expensive because unfortunately I don't have a sponsor. I hope I can find one for the future. Then I would like to take part in the traditional triple triathlon on the Baltic Sea in Lensahn. A long-term goal is the five-time Ironman in Buchs, Switzerland.”

A final question: How do you balance work, private life, training and competitions?

“My wife is my biggest help. She supports and accompanies me during training, prepares healthy meals and knows exactly when I have to do what. She knows me better than I know myself. A good example is the races: other athletes come with a team of 15, I have my wife and my ten-year-old son with me who look after me and support me. Without my family it wouldn’t be possible, I give them a lot of credit for that.”

_________________________ Christian Klotz is a member of SC Meran.

Personal Christian Klotz Vintage: 1974 Place of residence: Cermes Club: SC Meran Triathlon

Questions: Christian Staffler

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Interview | Christian Klotz, the triple Ironman conqueror

What seems impossible to “normal” people even in a simple version, Christian Klotz does in the triple version: an Ironman. SportNews met with the Tschermser for an interview and asked what such hardships do to a person.

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